Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease is denied as there was no pending, unadjudicated claim prior to September 20, 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and inadequate examination, requiring further development.

The Board is remanding the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the Veteran's coronary artery disease and its relation to his service, particularly his high-stress environment during Desert Storm.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 30, 2008 for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease due to a claim for diabetes filed on that day. The diagnosis of ischemic heart disease was made prior to this claim.

The Veteran's CAD was granted a 100% rating effective November 13, 2012. He is also entitled to SMC effective that date.,Residual scars associated with CAD are rated at 10%. The Veteran has two scars: one on his left forearm and another on the anterior chest. Both scars are superficial and nonlinear, without pain or instability.,The Veteran's initial rating for CAD was denied prior to November 13, 2012.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his CAD disability was denied, but he received a temporary total evaluation following coronary bypass surgery. The VA granted a 30% rating effective December 12, 1994 and later increased the rating to 60% effective December 19, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and heart disability have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 28, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records from Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and Watson Clinic.

The Board dismissed the issue of an earlier effective date for service connection because the Veteran did not appeal the May 2020 rating decision granting service connection.

The Veteran is granted an initial rating of 30 percent for coronary artery disease from September 12, 2013 to May 1, 2015. The decision finds that the symptoms have been consistent throughout this period.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of Ischemic Heart Disease and remanded the issue of service connection for kidney disease due to exposure to burn pits.

The Board has remanded the cases of ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, infertility, and PTSD for further development. The Veteran's private treatment records need to be obtained from Dr. Higgins and Dr. Evers.

The appeal involving the veteran's claims for plantar callosities, end stage renal disease, hypertension, coronary artery disease, back disability, and right and left leg disorders including a vascular condition has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, benign prostate hypertrophy, and left ear hearing loss are being remanded due to new evidence received since the last final decisions. The claim for right ear hearing loss is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his time at Udorn Royal Thai Air Base. The VA is instructed to verify the Veteran’s reports of alleged exposure and provide additional records as needed.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection for sick sinus syndrome with pacemaker and evaluation of lumbar disc disease. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also pending.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and arteriosclerotic heart disease. The Veteran's claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for evaluation of his service-connected scars is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to January 24, 2018, for service connection of a left foot disability and for a 60 percent rating for CAD were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not file any informal or formal claim for these benefits prior to January 24, 2018.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for CAD was implicitly denied by the June 2012 rating decision reducing his disability rating from 60 percent to 30 percent. The Board found that no new and material evidence had been submitted to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted with an initial 30 percent rating effective August 31, 2010.,A subsequent increase to a 60 percent rating was granted from April 27, 2012, to October 25, 2012.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for service-connected disabilities prior to January 19, 2011 was denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.